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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26658214">If I Could Go Away With You (I Might be Okay)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShutUpKevin/pseuds/ShutUpKevin'>ShutUpKevin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>ALSO Naegi calls everyone by their first names, ALSO SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS OF THH, Also this is Togami Centric I think, And I should mention Togami analyzes literally EVERYTHING, And also obligatory use of the tag:, And feelings happen and stuff, And he calls Togami ‘Kuya’ because I said so, And then he goes to Togami for comfort, Because for all the FTEs I bothered Togami, But its like. One sentence dw, But like in a bad way. It’s a bad spicy, Hello Danganronpa fandom, I feel like I should mention that Togami’s touch starved, I keep forgetting to add things to the tags, Is that important? Probably, I’M MAKING THIS SOUND COMPLICATED WHEN ITS REALLY NOT, Just know they cuddle at the end, M/M, Naegi has a nightmare and it’s spicy, One last thing. I make reference to my own playthrough, So basically heres what happens, That’s it I’ll shut up, This is gonna be a wall of tags because I can’t shut up, Togami Byakuya is Bad at Feelings, You guys are scary but here I am anyway, because I refuse to properly tag things, yeah - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:13:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,848</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26658214</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShutUpKevin/pseuds/ShutUpKevin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Naegi has a nightmare and seeks out Togami for comfort.<br/>.<br/>Title is from a song I’ve never heard but my friend who titles all their fics exclusively with song titles suggested it so there it is</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>163</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>If I Could Go Away With You (I Might be Okay)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello, Danganronpa fandom, aka the scariest people I’ve ever come in contact with. Today, I offer you this thing that took me two months to write<br/>This is my first fic for the fandom so I’m. Really hoping they’re not too OOC? If they are, then I’m sorry, I did my best<br/>Also, special thanks to user WaterPopsicle2 for beta-ing this for me and convincing me to post it BDHFJJFJRJG<br/>That’s pretty much all I have to say lol</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The blaring buzz of the doorbell interrupting his attempt to sleep was not what he was expecting in the middle of the night.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami sat up in his bed and groggily rubbed his eyes. He grit his teeth as the doorbell was pressed for a second time, and he groaned before walking to grab his glasses off their stand. He put them on and blinked a couple times to adjust his eyes. A moment later, the doorbell was rung a third time, and his fists clenched as he stormed to the bedroom door and swung it open. “What?!” He practically shouted, furious that someone would attempt to bother him at this hour. And, to top it off, whoever it was was blatantly ignoring the nighttime rule. His expression softened, however, as he looked down to see Naegi in front of him, appearing paler than usual and rather frightened.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naegi seemed to be taken aback by the outburst, but he should have expected such a thing to happen, especially considering the time. He was the one to speak first, greeting Togami with a nervous tone that didn’t quite seem to fit him. “Hi, ‘Kuya.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami’s lips instinctively pursed as he was referred to as ‘Kuya’. As much as he’d love to say so out loud, he abhorred nicknames. The thought that someone— anyone, really— could consider him a friend in any regard disgusted him. Not only that, but to use a variation of his first name... He’d never allow it. Well, he wouldn’t allow it for anyone other than Naegi. Naegi was the most tolerable of the remaining students, and Togami had grown to like him a fair bit, so he’d allow this abnormality. And, on top of that, it made a sense of warmth spread through his chest every time he heard it. Togami looked down at the smaller boy, his eyebrows furrowing. “What are you doing here, exactly?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naegi averted Togami’s gaze, and began fidgeting with his hands. “I know it’s late and everything,” he started, anxiety clearly coursing through his veins. So much so, that he fumbled over his words. “But, uh... Um... I... Had a nightmare, and...”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Ah. So the boy had awoken from a nightmare and sought out </span> <em> <span class="s2">Togami</span> </em> <span class="s1"> of all people for comfort. It was an odd choice, he must admit, but he couldn’t say he was surprised. After all, he’d noticed Naegi becoming attached to him for whatever reason after deciding to use up all his free time with him. It seemed as if wherever Togami went, Naegi would happily follow. “I was hoping I could maybe—“ Naegi made vague hand gestures as he tried to put his thoughts into words. “—Stay here? For a bit?” He sounded unsure of himself. “...If you don’t mind, I mean.”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naegi’s thought process was hard to decipher in this particular instance, though the taller boy chose to chalk it up to his brain not functioning properly due to exhaustion. Togami hummed out an acknowledgement and pushed his glasses back in their place as he debated his options.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">There were two choices that he had in this present moment. He could turn Naegi away, leaving the startled boy to deal with his nightmare alone, or he could let him into his room to... What would they do, exactly? </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Either way, Togami already knew which decision he’d make. </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Though not outwardly expressed, he hated the thought of rejecting Naegi when he was in such a vulnerable state. Not because he cared, mind you, Togami Byakuya did </span> <em><span class="s2">not</span></em> <span class="s1"> care for </span> <em><span class="s2">anyone</span></em><span class="s1">; but because he merely pitied the boy in front of him. “‘Kuya?” Naegi asked, tilting his head and staring up at the blond with tear-filled eyes. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Standing in the dormitory hall was causing Naegi to become increasingly upset, as much as he may try to deny it, and Togami noticed as soon as the former said the latter’s name. The taller boy gave a sigh of defeat and stepped aside to make room for Naegi to enter. “Alright,” Togami finally muttered, holding the door with one hand and gesturing towards his room with the other. “Come in.” Naegi gave a grateful smile and nodded his head, going inside.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Pray tell,” Togami started, watching as Naegi tried to figure out where to sit. “What was this ‘nightmare’ of yours about?” He went to sit at the edge of his bed, choosing not to return his glasses to the stand. Naegi soon followed, placing himself next to Togami and drawing his knees to his chest. Togami pretended that the suddenly close— extremely close, actually— contact didn’t send jolts of electricity through his body. Any sign of such a feeling was locked behind his cold exterior. “You won’t laugh at me, right?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t think you need to worry about such a thing happening. I hardly laugh as it is.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Okay, um...” Naegi was unsure where to begin. The cause seemed hazy in his mind, though that could simply be from weariness. Nevertheless, he attempted to describe it. “I think it happened because I started thinking about everyone who’s... died so far. Y’know, with... With Sayaka, Junko, Leon, Chihiro... You get the point.” </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Recalling the memories saddened the smaller male. Togami could tell from the way his eyes looked down at the ground and his shoulders sagged. Such somber emotions were unheard of from the typically hopeful, happy-go-lucky boy. The taller of the two hated the expression on the shorter’s face, but chose not to interrupt. “And I ended up falling asleep thinking about it. And— And in the dream, I don’t remember what I was doing, but the body discovery announcement went off.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami could see where this was headed. One of Naegi’s dear friends had probably wound up dead, and the mere thought of another murder shook him to his core. “So I tried to find who it was, and...” Naegi buried his head between his knees, and his voice wavered as he finished the sentence. The sight made Togami’s heart hurt for a reason unbeknownst to him. “It was you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Togami had to make an effort to conceal his shock. </span> <em><span class="s2">He</span></em> <span class="s1"> was the one that died in the nightmare? More importantly, it was </span> <em><span class="s2">his</span></em> <span class="s1"> death that had rattled Naegi so much? He adjusted his glasses once more and looked away from the crying boy beside him. The sentiment was appreciated, but he wasn’t sure how to react. “I didn’t know what to do,” Naegi continued after a moment of silence. His voice lowered down to a whimper, and upon listening closer, one could hear him sniffling. “I don’t know what I </span> <em> <span class="s2">would</span> </em> <span class="s1"> do.”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Don’t be ridiculous, Naegi,” Togami replied, crossing his arms. His voice lacked most of its condescending edge. “I won’t die. You have nothing to cry about.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“But what if you do?” Naegi looked up at him, tears streaming down his cheeks. Togami wanted to cup the boy’s face and wipe them away, but he resisted the urge to do so. “I can’t— I can’t lose you, ‘Kuya! I— I can’t!”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The situation was confusing Togami more as it progressed. Of course, given the fact that Naegi considered him as one of his friends, it made sense for the brunet to be distressed in the case that he was murdered. However, he couldn’t recall a time where Naegi had been upset at the thought of a </span> <em> <span class="s2">specific</span> </em> <span class="s1"> murder. Nor did Togami remember a moment where Naegi was visibly shaken by the thought of someone else’s death in general. So why him? What made him so special?</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Well, that could be classified as a dumb question. Togami knew he was special and, quite frankly, above the rest of his classmates.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">But was his view of himself the same in Naegi’s mind? And why would Naegi cry over </span> <em> <span class="s2">him</span></em><span class="s1">? Why not any of the other remaining students? Such a strong reaction didn’t make sense to him. “Why?” Togami whispered, not fully aware that the word left his lips. “Huh?” Naegi’s eyebrows furrowed, and he hiccuped as he stared at Togami. “What— What do you mean ‘why?’”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">This seemed to snap Togami out of his thoughts, and he looked down at Naegi once more. It took a moment for him to articulate his sentence. “Just... Why me. That’s all.” He shrugged and continued with, “It’s odd that you’d care for me specifically when you have other friends to worry about. I’m in the process of understanding it.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami figured that that must’ve been the wrong thing to say, seeing as a fresh batch of tears welled into Naegi’s eyes. “Because—“ Tears began to fall every time he blinked. “—You’re not just a friend to me! I care about you more than anyone else here! Not only that, it’s because I—“ Naegi cut himself off before he could go further. He let a shaky sigh escape him as he turned away. “Nevermind,” he added, Togami barely being able to pick up on the word. “No,” Togami said, more questions arising in his mind. “Finish that, I’m not sure what you were trying to say.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No, it’s dumb.” Naegi was now attempting to avoid Togami’s gaze. “You wouldn’t like the truth.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“On the contrary,” Togami refuted, pushing his glasses farther up on his face once again. “How many times have I said that I want nothing more than the truth? No matter how cold or disheartening it may be, the truth is always what matters.” Naegi chose to remain silent, excluding his whimpers as he continued to cry. </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Togami had little to no experience with comforting others, but seeing the brunet in his current state... He had to do </span> <em> <span class="s2">something</span></em><span class="s1">. “Naegi,” Togami said, putting a hand on Naegi’s shoulder. Naegi turned to look at him again. “Regardless of if I’d like what you’d say or not, you should still tell me. If I don’t hear it from you, there’s no doubt I’d hear it from someone else. It would be better to get it out yourself while you can.” Naegi shook his head and replied, “If I tell you, you— You won’t want to talk to me anymore.” He paused for a moment before quietly adding, “And I’d just be another Toko to you.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“The fact that you’d even </span> <em> <span class="s2">think</span> </em> <span class="s1"> you’d be on the same level as </span> <em> <span class="s2">her</span> </em> <span class="s1"> is absurd in itself. Nothing will make me hate you as much as I hate her.”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are you sure?” Togami gave a small nod. “Positive.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naegi let out a sigh, and his gaze turned to the floor. A variety of emotions flickered in his eyes. Uncertainty and dread seemed the most dominant. He swallowed before closing his eyes and confessing, “I really like you, ‘Kuya. I like you a lot.” He squeezed his shut eyes tighter the moment he finished uttering the statement.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That was certainly unexpected.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">There were dozens of different meanings for the word ‘Like.’ It was just a matter of which one Naegi meant. Togami didn’t immediately reply, trying to figure out which definition made the most sense. For example, there was the obvious choice of Naegi simply enjoying his presence. However, that didn’t seem to be the answer. Naegi enjoyed nearly </span> <em> <span class="s2">everyone’s</span> </em> <span class="s1"> company.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Of course, there was also a voice in the back of Togami’s head claiming that ‘like’ was really just a substitute for ‘love.’ It wouldn’t be an impossible choice, but it simply didn’t seem plausible. As much as he wanted it to be the correct option, he crossed it off his list of possibilities. “‘Kuya?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami looked down upon hearing Naegi say his name. He could see the regret seeping through the smaller boy’s features. He furrowed his brows at the sight, and before Naegi could add whatever it was he was planning to add to his statement, Togami asked, “In what way?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It took a moment for Naegi to process the question. He searched Togami’s face for any way to cease his confusion. Finding none, he asked, “What do you mean?” Togami resisted the urge to roll his eyes and scoff. “It means exactly what it means. In what way do you like me?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naegi blinked, then sighed. “I should’ve worded that better,” he muttered, looking away from the taller boy beside him once more. “It means— It means I like you. I like you more than... A friend. More than a friend.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Togami’s eyes widened, realization hitting him square in the face. He turned his head away from Naegi, simultaneously removing his hand from the latter’s shoulder. The only response he could come up with was a small “Oh.” </span> <em> <span class="s2">So that’s what that means,</span> </em> <span class="s1"> Togami thought, continuing the sentence in his head.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">How exactly should he respond to this declaration? He’d never been faced with such a statement in his life. At least, not directed towards him, that is. He was never that good at dealing with emotions, especially regarding others. So, for once in his life, Togami was at a loss for what to say.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">He knew that he enjoyed Naegi’s company a great deal, no matter how annoying Naegi may be at times. He knew that he harboured some sort of attraction towards Naegi, though he would never dare say so out loud. And, he knew that every time Naegi chose to spend time with him, he felt... </span> <em> <span class="s2">happy</span></em><span class="s1">. Could this be the same type of feeling Naegi felt towards him? The voice in the back of his head told him, </span> <em> <span class="s2">Yes! You like him too, you imbecile!</span> </em> <span class="s1"> but he couldn’t be sure.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...Was it suddenly hot in here, or was it just Togami?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Are you okay?” Naegi broke the silence, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at Togami’s face. “Your cheeks are red.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami quickly cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. Once his face had been set to a look of indifference, ignoring the heat he felt on his cheeks that undoubtedly showed the accidental blush Naegi had pointed out; he crossed his arms and replied, “I can assure you, I am very much alright. In fact, it seems I have a confession of my own.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“...You do?” The familiar spark of hope began to shine in Naegi’s eyes. It was subtle, hardly noticeable if one wasn’t paying attention, but Togami saw it immediately. He pushed his glasses up on his face and nodded. “Indeed.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami looked away from Naegi, his cheeks reddening as he spoke his next statement. “I... return your feelings.” It was rather embarrassing to say, but he let out a breath he wasn’t aware he was holding and turned back to the boy beside him.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naegi’s eyes were wide, presumably from either shock or surprise. His blush was deep— so deep, in fact, that his entire face was red. “Really?” he whispered, Togami barely being able to pick up on the word. “You’re not just saying that?” Togami nodded his head again, this time not saying anything. He watched as a smile finally formed on Naegi’s lips. </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Along with that, tears began welling in his eyes once more. Togami was taken aback by the aforementioned tears, furrowing his brows and quickly saying, “Don’t start crying </span> <em> <span class="s2">again</span></em><span class="s1">, Naegi, wh—“</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">He was cut off when he suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around his torso.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The sudden gesture took Togami by surprise. Was Naegi... </span> <em> <span class="s2">hugging</span> </em> <span class="s1"> him? The angle was weird, with Naegi being at his side and under his left arm, but... it felt nice. Perhaps this was what it was like to be embraced by someone you cared about. Not that Togami had any experience with such a feeling beforehand, but he could only guess. “Naegi?” he asked, shifting his position to awkwardly wrap an arm around the smaller boy. “Are you alright?”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naegi nodded his head, and Togami could see a smile curl onto the former’s lips. “Yeah,” he responded, slightly nuzzling his head up to Togami’s chest. “‘M just really happy right now.” Togami gave his back a couple small pats and said, “Good to know, then.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a moment or two, Naegi decided to move from his spot, choosing to climb onto Togami’s lap so he could hug him better. The change was welcomed, and in response, Togami wrapped his arms around Naegi and held him closer than he had held anyone else before. The taller boy let out a sigh of contentment, and he felt himself crack a small smile as well.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">In all honesty, Togami was never one for physical contact. He didn’t know the direct cause of it, whether it be the lack of affection in his childhood or the pure disdain of even the </span> <em><span class="s2">thought</span></em> <span class="s1"> of engaging in any such act, but one thing he did know was that now that he’s experienced it, he didn’t want to continue without it. Naegi was warm, soft, gentle... Togami had no idea what he’d been missing.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The two remained in each other’s arms for awhile, a comfortable silence enveloping them as they basked in the feeling of being close to one another. Neither wanted to pull away, but Togami was first to loosen his grip. “Naegi?” he asked, cerulean eyes meeting hazel. Naegi tilted his head and responded with, “Yeah?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Would you... not prefer to go back to your own room? You’ve been here for awhile now.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">As much as Togami didn’t want him to go, Naegi </span> <em> <span class="s2">had</span> </em> <span class="s1"> been in his room for quite some time. He would have to leave eventually if either of them wanted to go back to sleep before the morning announcement came. Naegi seemed surprised at the suggestion, and his eyebrows furrowed. He looked away, and Togami could see a hint of sadness in his eyes. “Uh... Actually, I—“ Naegi closed the distance Togami put between them, hugging the blond again and burying his head in his chest. “—Was kinda hoping I could spend the night here.” His voice was muffled, but Togami could hear him clearly. “I really don’t want to be alone right now.” </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Togami contemplated what to do more than he needed to. Of course he wanted Naegi to stay, but doing so posed several issues. Where would Naegi go tomorrow morning? Will he be able to go back to his room unnoticed, or will someone see him? If he did stay in Togami’s room, where would he sleep? Where would </span> <em> <span class="s2">Togami</span> </em> <span class="s1"> sleep? Most importantly, </span> <em> <span class="s2">what was their relationship now?</span> </em> <span class="s1"> Their status had yet to be decided. Naegi’s voice broke through his train of thought with, “I can go if you want. I’ll understand.”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s not that,” Togami said, trying to find the best way to put his thoughts into words. “It’s more about practicality rather than preference.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“What?”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“Think about it like this. Say you do end up staying here until morning. What do you do once it’s time to wake up? Do you continue to stay here? Or do you leave and risk being questioned on why you were seen coming out of </span> <em><span class="s2">my</span></em> <span class="s1">room?”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I don’t see the problem here.” Now it was Naegi’s turn to back up, but he remained seated in Togami’s lap. His eyebrows furrowed as he crossed his arms. Though not to the extent of when he arrived, Naegi looked upset again. “If you’re worried about whether everyone will find out about us—“ Was there an ‘us’? Togami was unaware that their relationship had been labelled. “—then you shouldn’t. They’re bound to find out eventually. And who’s gonna care anyway? It doesn’t matter.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You can’t judge other people by your own ideals, Naegi. You don’t know whether anyone will ‘care’ or not.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naegi sighed and shook his head. He moved his arms so his hands could cup Togami’s cheeks, that of which began turning red at the touch. “You worry too much, ‘Kuya,” Naegi said, giving the taller boy a comforting smile. “Just trust me, it’ll be fine.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami darted his eyes to the side for a split second, breaking eye contact with Naegi for a moment. He let out an exhale from his nostrils, silently claiming defeat in the discussion. He hated how easily Naegi won him over to his side. “Alright then,” Togami muttered, pushing his glasses farther up on his face yet again. “If you insist. You may stay.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Really?” Naegi’s hands dropped from Togami’s face to his shoulders. He looked like he was relieved about something, but Togami wasn’t sure what. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“That does serve the question of where you will sleep, though.” Togami thought this was self explanatory, but Naegi was confused anyway. “What do you mean?” he asked, tilting his head. This time, Togami </span> <em><span class="s2">did</span></em> <span class="s1"> roll his eyes. “I only have one bed, Naegi. One of us is going to have to sleep somewhere else, and it’s not going to be m—“</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Your bed’s big enough for two people, isn’t it?” The way that he said that so nonchalantly— Togami couldn’t believe it. He could feel himself becoming flustered as each second passed. “I’m no expert on relationships,” he started, indirectly answering the question as a blush spread across his cheeks. “But are you not moving too quickly?”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I mean, if you’re uncomfortable with it, then we don’t have to. But, uh...” Togami shook his head as Naegi began to trail off. “Stop talking,” he said, crossing his arms. Naegi’s hands dropped down to his sides at the motion. “I’ll allow it, just for tonight.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“You can say if you don’t want to, y’know. I won’t mind.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“No, it’s fine.” Togami gestured for Naegi to move to the side, and the latter got off of the former’s lap to sit back on the bed. He stood up and stretched his arms before taking off his glasses and putting them back on the glasses stand. “I don’t care.” Naegi seemed to accept this as a reasonable answer, as he did not say anything else. “However, the right side of the bed is mine. This is not up for debate.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Guess that’s settled, then,” Naegi muttered, shrugging. Togami paid the comment no mind as he made his way to his side of the bed. </span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami stood on the right side, staring down at the bed, while Naegi sat at the left and watched the taller boy. The former was unsure of whether or not he should get in right away. He’d never slept in the same room as anyone else, let alone the same bed, so he had no idea what would be the proper way of dealing with this situation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naegi seemed to notice Togami’s hesitance, and decided to get under the covers first. He turned his body to face the blond and patted the spot next to him, a small smile gracing his lips. Togami looked down at where Naegi’s hand had been a moment earlier, then up at Naegi himself. The smile vanished as soon as it appeared. “Do you want me to turn around?” Naegi asked, arching an eyebrow. Togami grimaced, not knowing how to answer.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">If Naegi were to remain in his current position, he’d be facing Togami. That wasn’t inherently a bad thing, but Togami wouldn’t know which side to sleep on himself. Sleeping with his back facing Naegi would be awkward for the both of them, but it would also leave him feeling like he was being watched. If he faced Naegi, the two of them would be close enough to... Would cuddle be the right word? “I don’t know,” Togami finally spoke, looking away from Naegi as a blush spread across his cheeks. The words sounded foreign in his own voice, considering that he always knew what he was going to do in any given situation, but he could’ve never predicted something like <em>this</em> happening.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“It’s okay.” Naegi turned onto his left side so his back was to Togami. “Either way’ll work for me.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Alright.” </span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Even with Naegi facing away from him, he couldn’t help but feel nervous. His heart pounded hard in his chest and butterflies fluttered in the pit of his stomach just by </span> <em> <span class="s2">looking</span> </em> <span class="s1"> at the brunet laying in his bed. However, there was truly no need to feel so anxious about sleeping in the same bed as Naegi. Nothing was going to happen between them. They were just sleeping, and that was it. Togami narrowed his eyes at the sheets and, with a look of determination on his face, went under the covers too.</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The determination was short-lived. The moment he felt his back touch Naegi’s, even if said touch was barely noticeable, Togami was back to being an, albeit internal, flustered mess. He forced his eyes shut, attempting to push down his feelings and finally go to sleep.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The attempt to sleep was short-lived as well. Naegi tugged Togami’s arm lightly after a few minutes of silence, and whispered, “Hey, ‘Kuya?” Togami looked over his shoulder to see that Naegi was facing him again. “What?” he responded, trying to ignore the feelings that sparked from Naegi’s hand on his arm. Naegi’s grip tightened as he said, “Promise me you won’t die.” There wasn’t much force put into his words, but they came from a place of desperation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Would making such an empty promise give Naegi the reassurance he was looking for? In a situation as dire as theirs, who lived or died was never certain.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Well, that wasn’t necessarily true in Togami’s case. That’s what his mind had convinced him of, anyway. He was determined not to die in a place like this, and he wouldn’t serve the chance of being a victim either. “<em>Please</em>,”</span>
  <span class="s1"> Naegi added, not letting the silence draw on for too long. Togami turned so he was laying on his back, as well as so he could see Naegi.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It seemed as if the brunet was frightened again. Though not to the extent of when he first arrived at the blond’s room, the unfamiliar sense of fear radiated off of him. The words he wanted Togami to say were futile, the latter knew that, but he felt as if he should speak them anyway, just for Naegi’s sake. “Okay.” Togami nodded his head as he made his promise. “I promise you that I won’t die.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That seemed to calm Naegi down again. His hold on Togami’s arm lessened, and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” he said, his other hand finding its way to interlock with Togami’s. Togami simply hummed in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">That should’ve been the end of it, but Naegi looked like he wanted to say more. While Togami’s eyesight was far from perfect, he could still see the nervousness painted on Naegi’s face. After another moment of silence, with Togami staring at Naegi as the latter internally debated whether to say what he wanted to say, the former spoke up. “I can’t read minds, Naegi. What’s wrong?” Naegi’s face reddened at the question. “It’s nothing,” he replied, averting Togami’s gaze. “It’s not nothing if you’re acting like </span> <em> <span class="s2">that</span></em><span class="s1">. Spit it out.”</span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I— Um— Well—“ Naegi stumbled over his words, presumably from embarrassment. He let out a nervous chuckle as he continued stuttering. “I was— Um—“</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Use your words.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“I-I’m trying!” Naegi turned his head so he wasn’t looking straight at Togami. He was making a fool of himself and he knew it. The act was endearing in its own sort of way, though. “I was wondering, um... I was wondering if we could...” Togami didn’t catch the last part of the sentence, as Naegi mumbled the final word. He could, however, make out the enunciation of a ‘c.’ Putting together context clues lead him to one answer. “Yes,” he said plainly, rolling his eyes. “We may if you’d like.”</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">“Wait, really?” Togami nodded his head, not saying anything else. “...Thanks.”</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Togami was going to ask what position they should go in, but by the time the question had entered his mind, Naegi had already rolled on top of him. The feeling of another person laying on him was odd, and he was expecting at the very least to </span> <em> <span class="s2">dislike</span> </em> <span class="s1"> it, but... Well, to put it simply, he understood why the other boy wanted to do it. </span></p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Togami quietly wrapped his arms around Naegi; one around his waist and one around his upper back. The higher hand had managed to tangle itself through Naegi’s hair. Naegi hummed in satisfaction, nuzzling his head in the crook of Togami’s neck. “Goodnight, ‘Kuya,” he said, finally allowing himself to sleep.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">However, Togami remained awake for a few minutes more. Through the entire killing game thus far, he hadn’t had a true moment of peace. Whether he was hiding from Fukawa or avoiding the other participants in general, he was constantly on edge and constantly stressed. But laying there with Naegi took all of his worries away from him, and for once he was calm. He didn’t know the next time he’d be able to experience serenity such as this again.</span>
</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Naegi’s soft breaths hitting his neck, as well as their heartbeats in sync with one another, slowly lulled Togami to sleep. Before closing his eyes, he squeezed the smaller male just a </span> <em> <span class="s2">little</span> </em> <span class="s1"> bit tighter and whispered back, “Goodnight, Makoto.”</span></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Poggers, you made it to the end. Congrats!<br/>*Insert mandatory <a href="https://linktr.ee/byakuyatogami">”Follow my social medias!”</a> message here*<br/>I feel like I might want to make this into a series? But I’m not sure lol. I have an idea of what I’d do for a part two if I did make it a series, but eh. I don’t know. That’s it for now lol</p></blockquote></div></div>
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